This column features excerpts from the editorials, commentaries, interviews, and news articles of the leading Iranian newspapers.

Sunday’s headlines
HAMSHAHRI: The new law for investigation of traffic violations was announced
TEHRAN-E EMROOZ: Trilateral meeting in Urmia (Salehi, Davutoglu, and Mammadyarov held a meeting to improve regional cooperation)
TAFAHOM: Plan to privatize 15 state-run companies approved, Privatization Organization deputy director announces
HEMAYAT: Protests at early election activities
KAYHAN: Massive demonstrations in Jordan; people say we don’t want king
KOHRASAN: Mojahedin Khalq Organization (MKO) accepts to leave Iraq
QODS: Political issues of the region and hajj issue are two separate matters, Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization chief announces
MELAT MA: Legal-historical facts of Hirmand River
Jame Jam: Iran unveils fourth domestically manufactured car
SHARQ: Hashemi (Rafsanjani) intends to resign as the Expediency Council chairman, a weekly run by (MP) Rasaei claims
Leading articles
In an opinion piece in the KEYHAN newspaper senior journalist Hossein Shariatmadari says the Saudi invasion of Bahrain and the savage massacre of the oppressed and “unarmed” people of this Shia country – which was separated from Iran in a treasonous move by the Shah – has brought the Al-Saud family to the verge of collapse, and the Islamic Middle East will soon be purged from this ally of Israel. The writer predicts that it is unlikely that the developments in Saudi Arabia be just limited to the break-up of the country. In the opinion piece headlined “Al-Saud, One Step away from Collapse” Shariatmadari says all evidences suggest that it is unlikely that the officials of the medieval regime of Al-Saud and the military personnel that have been sent to Bahrain survive the anger of people.
In an interview with the SHARQ newspaper published on Sunday, Iran’s former ambassador to Paris, Sadeq Kharrazi, said that unprecedented developments are taking place in the Middle East and the political tsunami which has swept certain Arab countries has shaken the governments of these states to their foundations. Kharrazi added that certain countries such as the United States, France, and Britain, that are the long-time supporters of the dictators in the Middle East, are “surfing” on the current developments and claim to be the supporter of the people. Elsewhere in his remarks Kharrazi stated that the NATO militarily intervened in Libya because the country is an oil-rich one. “Would the NATO launch a campaign against Gaddafi if Libya did not sit on oil reserves?” Kharrazi went on to say that Saudi Arabia is concerned that Shia Muslim would come to power in Bahrain, which will directly affect Shia-populated areas in eastern Saudi Arabia. The former diplomat also noted that the Islamic Republic of Iran must avoid taking any position which would fuel the unrest in the region and should try to convince officials in Riyadh and Manama that the Saudi military intervention in Bahrain is not in the interests of the two countries. He also said that Iran must express its readiness to help Saudi Arabian troops withdraw from Bahrain.
In an interview with KHABAR Online, Hasan Qafori-Fard, a member of the Islamic Society of Engineers (ISE), says it is unlikely that the principlists and reformists will form a joint coalition for the upcoming parliamentary elections. Qafori-Fard, a member of the Islamic Society of Engineers (ISE) and parliamentary lawmaker, added that the reformists may be willing to form such a coalition, but the principlists will not take any action to create a joint coalition. Qafori-Fard also announced that the principlists are making utmost efforts to present a single list of their candidates in the elections. He added it seems that the meeting of the principlists, which will be held in May, could be a starting point for them to launch their election campaign. He also predicted that reformists will come to the scene. The lawmaker said principlists will welcome reformists if they decide to contest the elections. Qafori-Fard also noted that former foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki can play an influential role in uniting the principlists.